xcel
12-03-2006, 12:21 AM
The Camry Hybrid was developed to compete on other plains aside from its fuel economy and low emissions. (http://lfpress.ca/cgi-bin/publish.cgi?p=163867&x=articles&s=wheels)
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2007_TCH_Boston_Taxi.jpgMathieu Yuill - London Free Press - Dec. 1, 2006
2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid – Best new family car more than $30,000 Canadian.
Canadian Car of the Year winners were announced last week with Toyota and Volkswagen winning a combined seven of the available 13 awards.
Volkswagen took home best new small car more than $18,000 and best new convertible, while the Audi A8 won for best new prestige car.
Toyota's Camry won its category in both best new family car $22,000-$30,000 (the LE trim level) and best new family car more than $30,000 (the hybrid).
The Toyota Rav4 V6 Sport won best new SUV/CUV less than $35,000 and the Lexus ES 350 took the best new luxury car under $50,000 category.
The Camry Hybrid was up against tough competition including the utilitarian Volkswagen Passat Wagon and the super good-looking Saturn Aura Sedan. This is the first time a Hybrid vehicle has won a mainstream category and Stephen Beatty, managing director for Toyota Canada, thinks that's just where the Camry Hybrid should be.
"We never set out to make hybrid technology a niche product," he said. "The plan was for us to develop it in vehicles like the Prius and then it would be a part of our mainstream products like the Camry."
Beatty says the Camry Hybrid was developed to compete on other plains aside from its fuel economy and low emissions.
"We think its performance is positioned very well in its segment," he said. "Advanced technology can't just stand on its own. To compete against traditional technology, it really has to be seamless to be accepted by the mainstream."
Canadian auto journalists welcomed Volkswagen's reintroduction of the Rabbit with top billing in its category. Competition included the Hyundai Elantra, Nissan Sentra, Dodge Caliber and Suzuki SX-4, making for a competitive group.
"What I think this award does is reinforce how Volkswagen has positioned the Rabbit in the market," said John White, executive vice-president for Volkswagen Canada. "It also helps Volkswagen re-establish itself as a player in the more affordable market, an area that we've drifted away from in the past few years."
The Rabbit is just part of the three-pronged approach to capture market share among value/price conscience buyers. The recent introduction of the City Golf and Jetta gives VW more vehicles with a starting price of less than $20,000 than it's had for years.
"A lot of new model launches all at the same time has helped Volkswagen be able to have a broader public offering," White said regarding the impressive three-award haul. "We're hopeful (for success) for the Rabbit because there was an important percentage of diesel Golf buyers who will be attracted to the Rabbit."
The Honda Fit won best new small car under $18,000, an important category given Canadians' disposition to being stingy when it comes to dropping dollars on vehicles. Sandy Di Felice, assistant vice-president of corporate communications at Honda, said the Fit's success could be attributed to including the customer from the very beginning of the process.
"We wouldn't have moved the gas tank to the middle of the car if we didn't have the customer involved in the experience from the very beginning," she said. "Hearing from them that safety was so important . . . the Fit is the safest car for the price."
Canadian Car of the Year Awards are voted on by auto journalists from across the country at what's called Test Fest, a four-day event where journalists are given the opportunity to drive every eligible vehicle back to back.
Richard Russell, president of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada, the organization that oversees the event, said 2006 saw the biggest crop of journalists ever for the awards voting.
"It spreads the voting out over more journalists, so the results you get are truer," he said.
"A lot of the success with attendance, journalists driving so many cars and casting so many votes for different vehicles can be attributed to the format changes."
This year's awards ceremony was held in Niagara-on-the-Lake instead of Belleville where it's been for the past 15 years. Also, the designated routes journalists drive to ensure each competing vehicle is driven over the exact same course was closer to the awards' base of operations, making it quicker for a journalist to test a variety of cars.
Russell thinks the biggest benefit to Canadians is the "free pre-shopping" journalists have done for them.
"Perhaps if they're shopping for a car in a particular segment and they hadn't thought to include one of the category winners they may add it to their shopping list," he said.
"It also gives them confidence that this vehicle has been vetted by a group of automotive experts."
-- -- --
2007 WINNERS
Best new small car less than $18,000: Honda FIT LX
Best new small car more than $18,000: Volkswagen Rabbit 2.5
Best new family car $22,000-$30,000: Toyota Camry LE
Best new family car more than $30,000: Toyota Camry Hybrid
Best new luxury car less than $50,000: Lexus ES 350
Best new prestige car: Audi S8
Best new sports/performance car less than $50,000: MazdaSpeed3
Best new sports/performance car more than $50,000: BMW 3-Series Coupe
Best new convertible: Volkswagen EOS 2.0T
Best new pickup truck: Chevrolet Avalanche
Best new SUV/CUV less than $35,000: Toyota RAV4 V6 Sport
Best new SUV/CUV $35,000-$60,000: Acura RDX Technology Package
Best new SUV/CUV more than $60,000: Mercedes-Benz GL Class
The overall Canadian car of the year and Canadian utility vehicle of the year, as well as the Canadian truck of the year, will all be announced Feb. 14 at the 2007 Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto. The 2007 best new design and best new technology winners will also be declared at that time.
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2007_TCH_Boston_Taxi.jpgMathieu Yuill - London Free Press - Dec. 1, 2006
2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid – Best new family car more than $30,000 Canadian.
Canadian Car of the Year winners were announced last week with Toyota and Volkswagen winning a combined seven of the available 13 awards.
Volkswagen took home best new small car more than $18,000 and best new convertible, while the Audi A8 won for best new prestige car.
Toyota's Camry won its category in both best new family car $22,000-$30,000 (the LE trim level) and best new family car more than $30,000 (the hybrid).
The Toyota Rav4 V6 Sport won best new SUV/CUV less than $35,000 and the Lexus ES 350 took the best new luxury car under $50,000 category.
The Camry Hybrid was up against tough competition including the utilitarian Volkswagen Passat Wagon and the super good-looking Saturn Aura Sedan. This is the first time a Hybrid vehicle has won a mainstream category and Stephen Beatty, managing director for Toyota Canada, thinks that's just where the Camry Hybrid should be.
"We never set out to make hybrid technology a niche product," he said. "The plan was for us to develop it in vehicles like the Prius and then it would be a part of our mainstream products like the Camry."
Beatty says the Camry Hybrid was developed to compete on other plains aside from its fuel economy and low emissions.
"We think its performance is positioned very well in its segment," he said. "Advanced technology can't just stand on its own. To compete against traditional technology, it really has to be seamless to be accepted by the mainstream."
Canadian auto journalists welcomed Volkswagen's reintroduction of the Rabbit with top billing in its category. Competition included the Hyundai Elantra, Nissan Sentra, Dodge Caliber and Suzuki SX-4, making for a competitive group.
"What I think this award does is reinforce how Volkswagen has positioned the Rabbit in the market," said John White, executive vice-president for Volkswagen Canada. "It also helps Volkswagen re-establish itself as a player in the more affordable market, an area that we've drifted away from in the past few years."
The Rabbit is just part of the three-pronged approach to capture market share among value/price conscience buyers. The recent introduction of the City Golf and Jetta gives VW more vehicles with a starting price of less than $20,000 than it's had for years.
"A lot of new model launches all at the same time has helped Volkswagen be able to have a broader public offering," White said regarding the impressive three-award haul. "We're hopeful (for success) for the Rabbit because there was an important percentage of diesel Golf buyers who will be attracted to the Rabbit."
The Honda Fit won best new small car under $18,000, an important category given Canadians' disposition to being stingy when it comes to dropping dollars on vehicles. Sandy Di Felice, assistant vice-president of corporate communications at Honda, said the Fit's success could be attributed to including the customer from the very beginning of the process.
"We wouldn't have moved the gas tank to the middle of the car if we didn't have the customer involved in the experience from the very beginning," she said. "Hearing from them that safety was so important . . . the Fit is the safest car for the price."
Canadian Car of the Year Awards are voted on by auto journalists from across the country at what's called Test Fest, a four-day event where journalists are given the opportunity to drive every eligible vehicle back to back.
Richard Russell, president of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada, the organization that oversees the event, said 2006 saw the biggest crop of journalists ever for the awards voting.
"It spreads the voting out over more journalists, so the results you get are truer," he said.
"A lot of the success with attendance, journalists driving so many cars and casting so many votes for different vehicles can be attributed to the format changes."
This year's awards ceremony was held in Niagara-on-the-Lake instead of Belleville where it's been for the past 15 years. Also, the designated routes journalists drive to ensure each competing vehicle is driven over the exact same course was closer to the awards' base of operations, making it quicker for a journalist to test a variety of cars.
Russell thinks the biggest benefit to Canadians is the "free pre-shopping" journalists have done for them.
"Perhaps if they're shopping for a car in a particular segment and they hadn't thought to include one of the category winners they may add it to their shopping list," he said.
"It also gives them confidence that this vehicle has been vetted by a group of automotive experts."
-- -- --
2007 WINNERS
Best new small car less than $18,000: Honda FIT LX
Best new small car more than $18,000: Volkswagen Rabbit 2.5
Best new family car $22,000-$30,000: Toyota Camry LE
Best new family car more than $30,000: Toyota Camry Hybrid
Best new luxury car less than $50,000: Lexus ES 350
Best new prestige car: Audi S8
Best new sports/performance car less than $50,000: MazdaSpeed3
Best new sports/performance car more than $50,000: BMW 3-Series Coupe
Best new convertible: Volkswagen EOS 2.0T
Best new pickup truck: Chevrolet Avalanche
Best new SUV/CUV less than $35,000: Toyota RAV4 V6 Sport
Best new SUV/CUV $35,000-$60,000: Acura RDX Technology Package
Best new SUV/CUV more than $60,000: Mercedes-Benz GL Class
The overall Canadian car of the year and Canadian utility vehicle of the year, as well as the Canadian truck of the year, will all be announced Feb. 14 at the 2007 Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto. The 2007 best new design and best new technology winners will also be declared at that time.